Boat carrier



p 18, 1956 1. H. HELANDER 2,763,412

BOAT CARRIER Filed Aug. 20, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig./

lrw'ng H. He/ander INVENTOR.

p 1956 l. H. HELANDER BOAT CARRIER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 20, 1953R. n MN Wm H H m w 0.

Sept, 18, 1956 l. H. HELANDER 2,763,412

BOAT CARRIER Filed Aug. 20, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 lrwhg He/ander IN VENTOR.

United States Patent BOAT CARRIER Irving H. Helander, Davenport, IowaApplication August 20, 1953, Serial No. 375,338

6 Claims. (Cl. 224-421) This invention relates generally to carryingattachments for vehicles and pertains more particularly to an improvedform of boat carrier therefor.

A primary object of this invention is to provide an improved form ofboat carrier for vehicles which will substantially facilitate theloading and unloading of a boat and will also permit the boat to befirmly secured to the vehicle in a manner to prevent shifting of theboat relative thereto.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved form ofboat carrier for vehicles which incorporates a track assembly adapted tobe secured to the top of a vehicle and cooper-able with elements securedto the gunwales of an associated boat whereby the boat will beinterlockingly engaged with the track assembly in one position thereon.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved form ofboat carrier for vehicles which incorporates a generally rectangulartrack assembly having downwardly sloping forward and rear ends tofacilitate the loading of a boat thereon and to position the boatcorrectly with respect thereto such that latching members associatedwith the boat will firmly engage interlockingly with the track assemblyin one position thereon.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a boat in loaded position on anassociated vehicle;

Figure 2 is an enlarged top plan view of a boat provided with componentparts of the carrier assembly, the trackway being indicated in phantomline;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section partially broken away showing thecarrier assembly in loading position;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 but showing the assembly inloaded position;

Figure 5 is a vertical section taken substantially along the plane ofsection line 5-5 of Figure 3; and

Figure 6 is a vertical section taken substantially along the plane ofsection line 6-6 in Figure 4.

Referring now more particularly to Figure 1, reference numeral 10indicates an automotive vehicle generally which includes the top section12 to which the track assembly indicated generally by the referencecharacter 14 is securely attached. It will be noted that the track isprovided with a downwardly inclined rear end section 16 and a downwardlyinclined front section 18 and an intermediate horizontal portion 20,this track being generally of elongated rectangular configuration asshown most clearly in phantom lines in Figure 2.

The track proper consists of a pair of parallel side frame members 22and 24 and the cross connections 26 at the ends thereof, the track beingpreferably formed of a continuous piece of tubular material bent to thedesired shape and secured together at its abutting ends to form atrackway shown.

A pair of longitudinally spaced transverse mounting members 28 aresecured to the undersurface of the horizontal portion of the trackwayand these members extend beyond the opposite sides thereof and areprovided at their free ends with the yoke members 30 which are pivotallysecured thereto as by the pin members 32. The lower ends of the yokemembers 30 carry the strap members 34 rigidly secured to the dependingsuction cup members 36 which are adapted to engage and grip theassociated vehicle top. Additionally, each of the yoke members isprovided with a rigid pin 38 terminating in an eye 40 to which one endof an attaching cable 42 is secured, the opposite end of the cableterminating in a hook 44 for engaging over the drip moulding of thevehicle and it will be manifest that a suitable turnbuckle 46 may beassociated with the cable for completing the rigid attachment of thetrack assembly to the vehicle top.

A boat to be loaded on the vehicle is: indicated generally by thereference character 48 and is of any conventional construction includingthe gunwales 50 thereof. To outfit the boat for carriage by thetrackway, a pair of socket members 52 are rigidly secured by their basesto the gunwales 50 at opposite sides of the boat adjacent the forwardend thereof and it will be noted that the axle assembly indicatedgenerally by the reference character 54 includes the bearing members 56having the yoke members 58 pivotally secured thereto, which yoke membersinclude the projection 60 received within the socket members 52 andwhich may be rigidly secured thereto as by the pin 62. Cover plate 64may be provided on the bearing members 56 to prevent longitudinaldisplacement of the axle member 66 with respect thereto.

The axle 66 carries a pair of wheel members 68 which are provided withcircumferential grooves '70 for receiving the track. One of the wheelmembers 68 is positioned longitudinally on the axle by means of a pairof spacer blocks 72 secured to the axle by means of the set screws 74,the spacer blocks being disposed closely adjacent the opposite sides ofthe wheels. The other of the wheels also has a pair of spacer blocks 76associated therewith but which are disposed in spaced relation toopposite sides of the associated wheel such as to permit a slightlongitudinal adjustment thereof with respect to the axle 66 such thatproper alignment between the side members of the trackway and the wheelsmay be ac-- complished.

Latching blocks 78 are provided in opposed pairs in longitudinallyspaced relation along the gunwales 50 of the boat and it will be notedthat these blocks are provided with the arcuate transverse grooves 80 intheir lower surfaces, the purpose of this construction being presentlyapparent.

Referring now more particularly to Figure 3, it will be noted that therearward inclined end. portion 16 of the trackway provides a convenientramp for initiating the loading of the boat on the vehicle. After theaxle assembly 54- has been secured to the gunwales of the boat in themanner previously described, the boat is pushed forwardly along thetrackway until the assembly attains the position shown in Figure 4wherein the wheels 70 are disposed upon the downwardly inclined forwardend portion 18 of the track assembly 14 whereupon the latching blocks 78will interlockingly engage with the cross members 2% in the mannershown. In this respect, it will be noted that the angular disposition ofthe forward inclined portion 18 of the trackway taken in conjunctionwith the spacing between the wheel members 70, the spacer block 78 andthe positioning of the members 2851's such that the .spacer'hlock 78will properly engage with the cross members 28 .as the boat drops. withrespect to the vehicle due to the wheels rolling down the inclinedportion 18.

To complete thesecurement of the boat to the vehicle, the former isprovided with a series of strap members 82 at its rearward corner andaneye member '84 at its bow, each of these members being associatedWlLl'lzSllltflblti ropes or cables 86 and associated turnbuckle 88- for:attachment to a suitable point on the vehicle such as the bumpers orthe like. In this manner it will be readily appreciated that theinterlocking engagement between the various component parts of thecarrier will be thus maintained even over the roughest of surfaces whichthe vehiclemay pass.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will bereadily understood and further ex plauati'on is believed to beunnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction shown and described, andaccordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may-be resortedto, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as'new is as follows:

1. A loading and unloading attachment for vehicles comprising, incombination, a track assembly for securement to a vehicle top, a carrierassembly for securement to the gunwales of an inverted boat, saidcarrier assembly including wheels engaged on said track assembly, saidtrack assembly having a downwardly inclined end. portion, and blocks onthe gunwales of the associated boat 'interlockingly engaging said trackassembly in response to movement of the said wheels onto the downwardlyinclined end portion of said track assembly.

2. A boat carrying assembly comprising an elongated rectangular trackadapted to be secured to a vehicle top, said track having spacedparallel side members adapted to be placed longitudinally of anassociated vehicle, an axle member having a pair of wheels thereonengageable with the said track side members, said axle member beingadapted to be secured to the gunwales of a boat, said track having adownwardly inclined end portion, and blocks adapted to be secured to thegunwales of a boat interlockingly engageable with said track when saidwheels are disposed on said downwardly inclined track portion.

3. A boat carrier comprising an elongated rectangular track, rod membersextending between and secured to opposite side members of said track,means carried by said-rod members for securing the track to a vehicletop, an axle assembly including a pair of spaced wheels engageable onsaid oposite side members for movement therealong and adapted forattachment to the gunwales 4 of a boat, said track having a downwardlyinclined end portion, and blocks adapted to be secured to the guns walesof a boat and interlockingly engageable with said rod member when saidwheels are disposed on said downwardly inclined end portion of thetrack.

4. A loading and unloading attachment for vehicles comprising, incombination, a track assembly for securement to a vehicle top, acarrierassembly for securement to the gunwales of an inverted boat, saidcarrier assembly including wheels en-ga'ged onsa-id track assembly, saidtrack assembly having a downwardly inclined end portion, and blocks onthe gunwales of the associated boat interlockinglyengaghrg said trackassembly in response to movement of the said wheels onto the downwardlyinclined end portion of said track assembly, said track assembly havingits opposite end downwardly inclined to present a ramp to facilitatepositioning a boat thereon.

5. A boat carrying assembly comprising an elongated rectangular trackadapted to be secured to :a vehicle -top, said track having spacedparallel side members adapted to be placed longitudinally of anassociated vehicle, an axle member having a pair of wheels thereonengageable with the said track side members, said axle member beingadapted to be secured to the .gunwales of a 1boat,.said track having adownwardly inclined end portion, and blocks adapted to be secured to thegunwalcs of a boat interlockingly engageable with said track when saidWheels are disposed on said downwardly inclined track portion, saidtrack having its opposite end downwardly inclined to present a ramp tofacilitate positioning a boat thereon.

6. A boat carrier comprising .an elongated rectangular track, rodmembers extending between and secured to opposite side members of saidtrack, means carried by said rod members for securing the track to avehicle top, an .axlezassembly including a pair of spaced wheelsengageable on said .frame side members for movement therealon'g :andadapted forattachment to the gunwales of i a boat, .said track having adownwardly inclined end portion, and blocks adapted to be .secured tothe ,gunwales of a boat and vinterloclcingly engageable with said rodmember when said wheels are disposed on said downwardly inclined endportion of the track, said track hav- ,ing its opposite 'end downwardlyinclined to present a ramp to facilitate positioning a boat thereon.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

